Autauga chase driver charged with attempted murder of trooper

A police chase along Interstate 65 on Thursday has led to charges of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, shooting into an occupied vehicle, burglary, two counts of receiving stolen property and several traffic offenses, court records show.

Nelson Bell, 19, of West Palm Beach, Fla., is being held in the Elmore County Jail, said Sgt. Steve Jarrett, a spokesman for the Alabama Department of Public Safety. Additional charges could follow as the Alabama Bureau of Investigation is working with other law enforcement agencies in Alabama and Florida to determine the extent of Bell's alleged criminal activity. Evidence suggests Bell was the vehicle's sole occupant at the time of this incident, according to Jarrett.

Bell remained in the county jail under bonds totaling $100,000. He could not be reached for comment. Courthouse records show he doesn't have an attorney.

Shortly after 2 p.m. Thursday, an Alabama state trooper attempted to stop a vehicle for going 91 mph in a 70 mph zone on Interstate 65 southbound near the 184 mile marker in Autauga County, Jarrett said. The driver of the vehicle attempted to elude the trooper and fired gunshots at the trooper during the pursuit, according to authorities.

Another trooper deployed spike strips in front of the fleeing vehicle, bringing it to a halt on I-65 northbound near the 195 mile marker. The driver fled the vehicle on foot but was apprehended by troopers, Jarrett said.